Guardians Of The Divine

Chapter 2: The Seeds of Hope

Timeline: 4001 ( After the Final Battle)

The war was over. Prabhu Kalki's final strike had shattered the Age of Darkness, but the silence that followed was heavier than the battle itself. The Earth, now a scarred battlefield, seemed to mourn, its energy fractured, its lands weeping for the broken balance.

For the first time in countless ages, the Yuga cycle-the eternal rhythm of creation, preservation, and destruction-had been disrupted. The harmony that once kept the world in balance was gone, leaving it in chaos.

Narad Muni stood on the edge of a crumbling peak, his golden glow dim under a bruised and restless sky. Below, the world lay in ruins. Temples had been reduced to rubble, rivers stood still and lifeless, and forests were blackened skeletons. The once-familiar hum of prayers had vanished, replaced by a haunting, bone-deep silence.

But the weight in Narad's heart was even heavier. Prabhu Kalki had disappeared into realms beyond after his final battle, leaving Narad with a crucial task: to find the children-three souls chosen by the gods to confront the darkness that would surely rise again.

As he gazed at the shattered world, doubt crept in. Could mortals born into such a broken time truly carry such a heavy burden?

A strange noise pulled Narad from his thoughts. Shadows shifted in the valley below, moving unnaturally, too alive to be mistaken for mere night. The remnants of the Age of Darkness hadn't been destroyed; they were hiding, waiting, feeding.

The shadows twisted, rising like smoke, forming a tall, formless figure with hollow, gleaming eyes. It stared straight at Narad with an unnatural precision.

"Still clinging to hope, Muni?" the shadow hissed, its voice sharp and grating, cutting through the stillness. "You think those children can save this world? They will fall before they even begin. The cycle is broken, Narad. You know what that means."

Narad gripped his staff tightly, his resolve hardening. He began chanting a mantra, his voice steady despite the unease stirring inside him. Light burst from the ground, forcing the shadow to recoil and dissolve into mist. But its laughter lingered, cold and mocking.

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The world was far from healed.

Narad turned toward a ruined shrine behind him. Its walls were cracked, the once-vivid murals faded with time and destruction, yet a faint divine energy still lingered. He placed his hand on the altar, closed his eyes, and reached into the fabric of fate.

Images flooded his mind-fragments of what was yet to come.

The first child. A girl who walked in silence, hidden from the world, but her presence held something extraordinary. Inside her burned the spark of creation-a power waiting to awaken. Her eyes reflected both fear and determination, as if she carried the weight of untold stories. She could shape reality, bring ideas to life, and rebuild what was broken. But this power was not without danger-it could overwhelm her if she wasn't careful. She was the mind of the gods, destined to create and heal.

The second child. A boy with a mischievous grin and a spark in his eyes that could brighten even the darkest places. His laughter cut through the silence, bringing hope to those around him. Yet beneath his charm was a protector's heart-a fierce will to shield what mattered most. His hands could heal wounds, and his presence brought peace, but deep down, he carried the burden of hard decisions. He was the guardian of balance, the one who would hold their team together when things fell apart.

The third child. A boy who stood still, calm, and strong. His presence felt heavy, like the earth itself, grounding everything around him. Inside him was a power both destructive and renewing-a force that could end what needed to be ended to make way for something new. His calm hid a strength that could shake the world. His gaze hinted at deep wisdom and untapped fury. He was the protector of the final strike, carrying both destruction and peace within him.

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Narad Muni's breath quickened as he stepped back from the vision. These children were no ordinary mortals. Each of them carried a piece of divine power-creation, preservation, and destruction. Scattered, untrained, and unprepared, they were the world's last hope to fix the broken cycle and face the darkness waiting to rise again. The cycle was broken, and time was running out.

But the children didn't know their destiny yet.

Narad's hand trembled as he rested it on the altar. The faint light from his staff grew stronger, cutting through the gloom. His voice, soft but firm, carried across the wind.

"Rise, children of the gods. The shadows are growing, and the world needs you now more than ever."

The valley below seemed to stir, the darkness shifting as if listening. Narad turned away, his golden glow brightening as he stepped into the night.

The echoes of the Age of Darkness still lingered, but Narad allowed himself a flicker of hope. A new beginning was near, and these children were the key.

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Note from author:
Publishing it again with lot's of changes...

And I'll be posting the next part soon.. after my exams!!